Nanhua Youlu (Nanhua Guesthouse Again)

Nanhua Youlu

Nanhua Youlu is a cultural heritage site protected by Guangdong Province.

Entering Nan Kou Town, besides the traditional Hakka walled houses scattered across the landscape, you’ll also notice many modern buildings equipped with gardens and running water systems—creations of overseas Chinese who returned to China in the early 20th century. The best-preserved and most renowned of these is “Nanhua Youlu.” Its founder, Mr. Pan Xiangchu, spent 18 years building this “ten halls and nine courtyards” residence for his eight sons. The house was once very prosperous, with eight connected units on the left and right sides, one for each son, all interconnected, and the upper floors serving as kitchens and storage rooms. The entire complex consists of 118 rooms, earning it the nickname “house within a house.” Even today, when you walk through the enclosed structure, you can still see many Western influences, including faint murals at the base of the walls.

Nanhua Youlu faces southeast and sits to the west, covering a land area of 10,816 square meters and a built-up area of 11,220 square meters. It has an imposing exterior with a flush gable roof on the main façade. The structure is divided into upper, middle, and lower halls, plus two wings totaling eight halls, with four halls on each side. Behind the upper hall is a row of wing rooms and two kitchens. Behind the wing rooms lies an orchard, and to the right is a garden featuring a lotus pond, rockeries, and exotic plants. The entire residence includes 118 rooms and dozens of large and small halls, hence the name “ten halls and nine courtyards (patios).”

Though the building appears as a single unified structure from the outside, its halls can function both independently and as a connected whole, hence the colloquial nickname “house within a house.”

Currently, descendants of the founder live in, manage, and maintain the property, which is also open to visitors.

On July 17, 2002, it was included in the fourth batch of cultural heritage sites protected by Guangdong Province.

Nan Kou Town: Located in the southwestern part of Meixian District, Nan Kou Town is 10 kilometers from downtown Meizhou. It was formed by merging the former Nan Kou Town, Yao Shang Town, and He Si Town, and connects with the Meizhou High-Tech Development Zone. Covering a total area of 263 square kilometers, it administers 46 villages and 3 residential committees, with a total of 16,002 households and a population of 68,000, of which 13,995 households and 61,000 people are engaged in agriculture.

The area boasts abundant natural resources and a wealth of distinctive Hakka cultural heritage. It has long been a place of rich history and talent. More details about Nan Kou Town++

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Guangdong Province